Frank J. Christensen

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Frank J. Christensen (April 17, 1961) is an American labor leader. He is the long-serving Business Manager of Elevator Constructors Local 2, a Vice President of the International Union of Elevator Constructors, and Chairman of the Illinois Elevator Safety Board.

Contents

[edit] Union Political Career

A native Chicagoan, Christensen was President of Local 2 from 1999 to 2001. He became Business Manager in September 2001 and was re-elected in 2002 and 2006. He is the longest-serving Business Manager of Elevator Constructors Local 2 since the 1920s. In July 2003, he was named Chairman of the Illinois Elevator Safety Board by Governor Rod Blagojevich. In October 2003, he was appointed International Vice President by Elevator Constructors General President Dana Brigham. In 2005, Frank Christensen was selected as the Illinois Maritime Labor Man of the Year.

[edit] Illinois Elevator Safety Board, Tony Rezko and Governor Blagojevich

The Associated Press broke a story on March 3, 2008, that union officers from the Elevator Constructors received three appointments to the Illinois Elevator Safety Board in the same month the Elevator Constructors Local 2 PAC Fund donated $10,000 to Governor Blagojevich's campaign in July 2003.[1][2] The report was part of a broader series of corruption scandals involving the governor and fund-raiser Tony Rezko.

The AP reported that Christensen was technically not eligible for the Board position because his village (Tinley Park, Illinois) had a population in excess of 53,000 in 2003 and that Christensen was appointed to represent a municipality with a population between 25,000 and 50,000. Christensen responded that the appointments to the State Board had nothing to do with the Local 2 PAC Fund campaign contribution on July 23, 2003, and he was not aware of the population of his village at the time of his appointment. In 2007, he was reappointed Chairman by Governor Blagojevich to represent a municipality with a population between 25,000 and 50,000. Tinley Park's population was in excess of 58,000 in 2007.[3][4][5]

CBS 2 Chicago reported on March 4, 2008, that among the issues expected to come up at the Rezko federal corruption trial is Blagojevich's 2003 appointment of Christensen to the state safety board. On March 8, 2008, the U.S. Department of Justice released additional court documents showing Rezko's involvement with Blagojevich political fund-raising. Included in the document is a $10,000 Elevator Constructors Local 2 PAC fund contribution dated July 23, 2003, that went through Tony Rezko and was deposited into the Blagojevich campaign accounts two days later. Elevator Constructors Local 2's President John Valone was named in the document. Elevator Constructors Local 2 Political Fund was the only union PAC fund to donate money to Rezko from June 2001 to August 2004.[6][7][8]

International Union of Elevator Constructors Regional Director Ed Christensen was on the Tony Rezko Clout List. Ed Christensen is the older brother of Frank J. Christensen. The list was released in federal court documents in the Rezko federal corruption trial. Ed Christensen received re-appointment to the Building Commission of the Illinois Capital Development Board in 2003 by Governor Blagojevich.[9][10]

[edit] Chao v Elevator Constructors Local 2 - Case #1:2008-cv-01595

The United States Department of Labor has filed a lawsuit against Elevator Constructors Local 2 in Illinois Northern Federal District Court for other statues and micellaneous reasons on March 18, 2008. [11] The case is being heard by the Honorable John F. Grady, a former Chief Judge. The lawsuit was filed by United States Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald on behalf of the United States Department of Labor asking the Court to have Elevator Constructors Local 2 comply with the DOL subpoena filed on April 24, 2007 for various records, books, papers and documents.

The Department of Labor is asking the Court enter an order directing Local 2 to show cause why they should not comply with and obey the subpoena.

The Department of Labor is asking the Court enter an order directing Local 2 to obey the subpoena by ordering the production of the documents called for by the terms of the subpoena before an officer of the Department of Labor and by ordering the respondent to appear for the purpose of producing information regarding the documents.

The Department of Labor is conducting an investigation into the financial operations of the union to determine wheter Local 2, or any person associated with Local 2 has violated or is about to violate Title II or Title V of the LMRDA of 1959 29 U.S.C. 401.[12]

[edit] References and Footnotes

  1. ^ Illinois State Board of Elections
  2. ^ The Times
  3. ^ WGN Radio - Report Raises Possible Link between State Appointments and Political Donation {audio}
  4. ^ WTHI TV 10 - Terre Haute Weather and News |AP Exclusive: Blagojevich donor not eligible for board
  5. ^ The Times
  6. ^ USDOJ Search:valone site:www.usdoj.gov inurl:/usao/iln/
  7. ^ cbs2chicago.com - Jury Selection Resumes In Rezko Trial
  8. ^ http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/iln/hot/us_v_rezko_exhibits/2008_03_07/fob_chart_1.pdf
  9. ^ http://www.chicagotribune.com/media/acrobat/2008-02/35908157.pdf
  10. ^ Illinois Building Commission - About
  11. ^ Chao v. International Union of Elevator Constructors Local 2 - 1:2008cv01595 - Justia Federal District Court Filings and Dockets
  12. ^ Chao v. International Union of Elevator Constructors Local 2 - 1:2008cv01595 - Justia Federal District Court Filings and Dockets

[edit] External links